The summons said to report at 9:00 a.m. at the courthouse in Martinez on a Friday. I fretted about parking but found a spot in the free lot. The juror waiting room was filled with prospective jurors. We were given a questionnaire, a speech about serving, and then we were sent home for the weekend.… Continue reading #Me Too
Worst Weight Loss Ever
I started to have trouble eating. Being 5 feet, 10 inches, I’d always enjoyed consuming anything I wanted with few consequences. I was a healthy woman with a healthy appetite. It was my daughter’s 11th birthday party. I’d made lots of fatty heat-up treats for the sleepover, like Costco taquitos, processed greasy treats. Of course,… Continue reading Worst Weight Loss Ever
Scariest Student Ever
During my ten years of teaching public school, I had many a student that caused me grief. The 8th grader transfer student who called me a bitch in front of the whole class on his first day. The brilliant 7th grade boy who lit matches in the hallway and dropped them on the… Continue reading Scariest Student Ever
Worst Snow Day Ever
It was 7:00 a.m. and snowing hard. I was dressed for work in my tall boots and long wool skirt and sweater. The car was warming up, and I had my go-cup of coffee filled. The phone-tree person was supposed to call by 7:15 if school was cancelled for the day. I stood around drinking… Continue reading Worst Snow Day Ever
Worst Dog-sitting Ever
When I was a newlywed, living in San Diego, my next door neighbor, Doreen, befriended me. She noticed I was home alone a lot, since my teaching job ended at 3:00, and my new husband didn’t come home from work until 7:00 or so. Doreen invited me over for food and chit chat. Once, she… Continue reading Worst Dog-sitting Ever
Romance, Coast to Coast
Nicky went back to Connecticut to see his mother. “You’ve got to meet this cute Italian girl working in my office,” a friend said. “I’m only here for a week,” Nicky said. Another friend said, “My wife is in night class with a cute Italian girl. You two should meet, since you’re both Italian.” “I’m… Continue reading Romance, Coast to Coast
Best Music Lessons Ever
When I was seven, I began my musical career by writing a song about going to the drugstore for candy. My first composition was entitled, “If I had a Penny.” Now you know how old I am. There were five kids in my house, and only one parent working for wages. Money was tight. I… Continue reading Best Music Lessons Ever
Worst Chaperone Ever
After two years of teaching high school Spanish in Ashland, Nebraska, I wanted to do for my students what my high school teacher had done for me – take them to Mexico. This wasn’t a trip over the border to Tijuana. This was a ten-day trip to Mexico City, including Aztec ruins. I recruited four… Continue reading Worst Chaperone Ever
Memphis Sugar Mama
After Robert’s family came to America, Robert went to college in Memphis. He met an older woman, Devin, in a liquor store. She had on a mink jacket and asked him out right there amongst the bottles of high-end scotches. She looked good for her age. She drove a Cadillac since her daddy had the… Continue reading Memphis Sugar Mama
Worst Moment of Fame Ever
My oldest child was almost twelve when Michael, the local book store owner, hand-sold me a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. “Trust me. It’s going to be huge!” he said. I looked at the thick book and wondered if my daughter would really get through it. But she was my reader, so… Continue reading Worst Moment of Fame Ever
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 